1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a contacting device for the electrical connection of a conductive foil lying against a carrying surface to a spring strip and to a method for automatic contacting upon employment of this contacting device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is very frequently not only the geometry of an electrical apparatus that makes it necessary to distribute the component parts needed for the function of the apparatus onto a plurality of assemblies. The advantages of modular formatting also provide inducements to realize a function complex that essentially belongs together on an assembly that can be easily physically separated from the rest of the circuit and, thus, can be quickly replaced.
To this end, every electrical line leaving the assembly must be interruptable via a contact device and must be reconnectable. In general, multiple plug connectors are used for this purpose, these being composed of a plug strip and of a jack strip each comprising a plurality of contact elements. A total of two plug and two jack strips are required in order to electrically connect two assemblies to one another, for example, via a cable, with these multiple plug connectors.
The not inconsiderable cost factor of such a plugged connection provided the impetus to the saving measure to use the printed circuit board of the assembly as a plug connector strip. To that end, all the lines leaving the assembly are conducted to an edge of the printed circuit board in the form of strip-shaped interconnects proceeding parallel to one another at the surface of the printed circuit board. The jack strip is replaced by a spring strip that comprises contact springs allocated to the strip-shaped interconnects and that is plugged onto the edge of the printed circuit board.
A further measure for reducing costs is comprised in allocating the cable to one of the assemblies and securing it thereto directly, i.e., without a releasable plugged connection. However, a higher production-oriented outlay is required for the direct connection of a cable to an assembly, this frequently outweighing the costs of the saved plugged connection.
Direct connection represents an ideal solution only now that conductive foils have been developed, these enabling a flexible conductor guidance similar to a cable. The function of a printed circuit board and that of a cable can be united in a single conductive foil. Thus, for example, one sub-area of the conductive foil meets the function of a printed circuit board and another sub-area, usually recognizable as a clip projection, meets the function of a cable.
A releasable electrical connection between the conductive foil and a flat module can now again be produced with the assistance of an electrical connector composed of a plug and jack strip or, as set forth above, can be produced by interconnects guided to an edge of the clip projection and having the appertaining spring strip.
A critical problem arises, however, given utilization of the second, more cost-beneficial embodiment in production equipment that provides an automatic assembly of the apparatus. Due to the flexible behavior of the clip projection, namely, a non-positive plug-on of the spring strip could previously only be manually effected.